Working full time and nursing school

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 30, 2017

When do you plan to work on your homework from school and study during the week?

Agatha12 · Oct 30, 2017

I was thinking when will you have time to eat? Even do shopping unless your parents will cook/shop for you. How long is your commuting? For me it is impossible schedule to deal with. Maybe you cpuld work part time only?

JBMmom, MSN, NP · Oct 30, 2017

That sounds like a challenging goal, but you're definitely not alone in working full time while going to nursing school, and you can do it. You're going to need to bring scheduling, organization and efficiency to a whole new level. I can't address all your questions specifically because I did not have the same schedule, but I can share my experience. I had a job that was fortunately pretty flexible but I worked 40 hours a week throughout all of nursing school. My core hours were 7am-3pm, but I had class one day a week and I had evening clinicals twice a week. I usually ended up putting in four hours on one weekend day, and working 5a-5p on another weekday. My studying was basically 4-6am on Saturday mornings before my kids got up, and whenever else I could find some free time to go over notecards, do readings, etc. It did not consume my entire life, I still spent time with my family, still taught Sunday school and swim lessons, and I wasn't miserable the whole four semesters. Don't let the horror stories scare you, if you're committed to doing it, and you have a good support system, it can be done. That being said, if there's any possibility to reduce your hours, it would definitely help make things easier. Good luck!

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Oct 30, 2017

I would suggest checking with your hospital to see if you could work longer shifts on the weekend. That tight of a schedule during the work with onsite school is going to be impossible to study and do homework during the week. During my LPN program we had a test every other day for the first six months. It was definitely a weed out phase. Working 40 hours a week however, is doable. The schedule just needs to be done right for it.

Philly85 · Oct 31, 2017

I'm currently doing it right now. Work full time Mon-Fri 8:45 - 5:15, then class from 6 - 9:50 Tues/Thurs, then clinical every other weekend, both Sat and Sun for 12 hours.

I'm not gonna lie, it's really freaking hard. I'm more than halfway done and I'm STILL trying to get better at forcing myself to do a little bit every day and not get behind.

If it weren't for the tuition assistance, I wouldn't be working.

Good luck!

cframmar · Oct 31, 2017

Thanks for all the feedback, my work and school is very close to each other probably a 15 minute drive .. I would be getting tuition reimbursement that would cover most of what I have to pay so I would be coming out of school without a loan. I have a very supportive boyfriend who cooks for me and packs my lunch as I am already a busy student as it is with finishing my prereqs. so I would basically be packing three meals a day. There will be one day during the week where I would get out around 6:30 .. My work is very laidback so I am able to flip through flashcards and finish homework here and there while im at work. I kno it will be hard and will be a lot on my plate but I am determined to keep my benefits including my tuition reimbursement. Also, I have no other courses to take besides nursing courses.

Cat365 · Oct 31, 2017

I worked full time until my last semester, but since I completed all of my non-nursing courses before entering the actual nursing program I was considered a 3/4 time student as I usually only carried 10 credit hours a semester. It's doable but tough. I would have continued this into my last semester, but my mother was diagnosed with cancer and I had to bow to the laws of physics. I could not be in two cities at the same time.